Gun mount



B. PALMER Feb. 7, w33.

GUN MOUNT Filed Aug. 19, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Brune Palmer A TTORNEY Feb. 7, 1933.

B. PALMER GUN MOUNT Filed Aug. 19, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2A INVENTOR. El ru :E Fa l 'm E r A TTORNEY Patented Feb. 7, 1933 nr aerien lBRUCE PALMER, 0F THE UNITED STATES ARLIY, FORT RLEY, KANSAS- GUN MOUNT Application filed August 19, 1931.V Serial No. 558,048.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT' 0F MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1925; 370 O. G. 757) targets to themachine gun calls for a mount which may with equal facility permit the direction of the gun at low and high firing angles. In conformity to this demand the mount forming the subject of this invention is characterized by an arrangement which without interfering with traversing move` ment, enables an adaptor carrying a gun to be raised to a vertical position about trunnions located at the rear of a main cradle, while providing for independent angular movement of the gun about trunnions disposed in the normal position intermediate itslength. The mount is adapted to utilize the connecting means provided on existing guns for their attachment to' the standard infantry tripod mount.`

iVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel ar4v rangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claime d,it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved mount showing the gun in the normal carrying position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the mount in position of adjustment for maximum elevation;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mount;

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively views in plan and side elevation of the cradle;

Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively views in plan and side elevation of the adaptor;

Figs. 8 and 9 are detail sectional views on the respective lines of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference The mount comprises a cradle 5 consisting 55 of spaced plates 6 connected at their forward extremities by a block 7 on which is centrally iixed a depending pintle S. The pintle is receivable in a socket formed in a support 9 which, in the present instance, is illustrated 50 as being carried by a rotatable turret 10. A nut 8a loosely attached to the pintle holds the cradle against vertical displacement while permitting horizontal movement thereof. The rear portion of the cradle rests on and is supported by an arc 11 xed to the turret. The cradle plates 6 each terminate rearwardly of the arc 11 in a vertically disposed guide 12 provided with an arcuate slot 13.

An adaptor consisting of a pair of spaced 'ttl links 14 is positionable between the cradle plate 6 and is trunnioned as at 15 above the arc 11. It serves to carry a machine gun 16, the connection comprisino' a trunnion pin 17 passing through the forward extremities of T5 the links and through the trunnion block 18 (Fig. 8) at the forward end of the receiver 19 of the gun. A transverse brace 2O connecting the links supports the rear of the gun A and is preferably so located that the aperture Sil 21 in a bracket 22 on the bottom plate ofthe receiver is alined with the lower end of the slot 13 in the guide 12. A removable pin 23 inserted through th e slots 13 andthe aperture 21 connects the gun to the cradle 5.

Depending from the forward ends of each of the links 14 is an arcuate arm 24 having a correspondingly arcuate slot 25. The two arms are connected at their lower ends by a crosspiece 26 to which is fixed a handle 27 whereby forward pressure exerted on the arms causes the adaptor to be elevated about its trunnions 15. The adaptor is secured in any position of elevation within its range by means of a clamp 28 carried by one or both of 95 the cradle plates 6 and inserted through the slots 2,5 of the arms 24 to engage the inner face thereof.

' In order that the gun may have a movement in elevation through an angle normally m0 obtaining when directing it against ground targets and this without resorting to eleva tion of the adaptor, the cradle 5 inclines downwardly to the rear so that the gun, when supported with the adaptor in its normal lowermost position will be mounted at a firing angle that represents the maximum range at which a ground target is ordinarily to be engaged. The firing angle is decreased by raising the breech end of the gun and torthis end the slots 13 in the cradle are generated from the trunnion 17 as a center when the adaptor is in the lowermost position of adjustment. rlhe gun is traversed by exerting lateral pressure thereon.

When it is desired to depress the gun to an eXtreme angie to cover the ground directly below the turret, the pin 23 is withdrawn and the breech end of the gun raised, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

In adjusting the mount for high anglefire against aerial targets the adaptor is raised and clamped at any angle up to 90, th-e maximum elevation being shown'in Fig'. 2. Since the slots 13 on the cradle plates are no longer in operative association with the trunnion 17 carried by the adaptor, the pin 23 1s removed to permit the gun to have a free movement in elevation as indicated by the dotted lines. y

A seat 29 suspended from the turret and located centrally thereof enables the gunner to manipulate his weapon Without changing position except under unusual circumstances.

By virtue of the provision of the Ytransverse brace 2O the gun may be completely supported by the adaptor while moving the adaptor with the pin 23 removed. While the support 9 and the arc 11 are shown as being secured to a turret, it will be understood that they can be carried by the traversing car'- riage of different types of gun mounts.

When the mount is to be used for a gun having a projecting boltl handle or. crank kwhose movement extends to the rear of the receiver, the guide 12 on the corresponding side of the receiver is dispensed with and appropriate modification made of the gun engaging means with the remaining guide.

I claim:

1. A mount for guns embodying a support, a cradle having spaced side plates mounted on the support for traversing move# ment, an upstanding guide on the rear extremity of each side plate, said guide provided with an arcuate slot fork receiving an element of a gun, an arc supporting the rear of the cradle, an adaptor including spaced arms lying within the cradle and trunnioned at the rear thereof, an elevating arm depending from the adaptor, means carried by the cradle for securing the elevating arm in position of adjustment, means for trunnioning a .gun on the forward end of the adaptor,

and gun supporting means on the rear of the adaptor.

2. A mount for guns embodying a support, a cradle having spaced side plates mounted on the support for traversing movement, an upstanding guide on the rear extremity of each side plate, said guide provided with an arcuate slot for receiving an element of a gun, an adaptor lying within the cradle and trunnioned at the rear thereof, lan elevating arm depending from the adaptor, means carried by the cradle for securing the elevatingarm in position Vof adjustment, and means'for trunnioning a gun on the forward end of the adaptor.

' 3.. A mount for guns embodying a support a cradle having spaced side plates -mounted on the support for traversing movement, an upstanding guide on the rear extremity of each side plate, said guide provided with anV arcuate slot'for receiving an element of a.

gun, an adaptor lying withinthe cradle and trunnioned at the rear` thereof means .for securing the adaptor invarying positions of adjustment and means for trunnioning a gunon` the forward end ofthe adaptor.

4. A mount fork guns embodying a supf port, a cradle mounted onthel support for traversing movement, spaced upstanding guides on the rear of the cradle, said guides each provided with an arcuate slot forv receiving an element of a gun, an adaptor trunnioned on the rear of the cradle, means for securing the adaptor in varying positions of adjustment, andlmeans for trunnioning a gun on the forwardend of the adaptor. Y 5. A guny mount-including a cradle inclined downwardly 4to the rear, spaced up# standing vguides on the rear of the cradle having arcuate slots for receiving an. element of a gun, and means for .trunnioning a gun at the forward portion of the cradle,'said means positioned in a horizontal plane lying above the lower portion of the slots in the iio 

